Good news, I got a job finally and start next monday. Had a 3rd interview this week (was pretty much a done deal. Less money and contractor BUT ~5 miles from my place = gas up once ever 2 wks roughly vs twice a week and it will be a challenge, fun as well (Fantasy Entertainment - they make the photobooth kiosks u see in malls, etc) as a QA engineer to help standardize things (basically set up processes/documentation, scripting for automation, etc). So I am happy!

We just went through our 2nd round of downsizing this year. They announced it a few months ago - and round one was the next week. At least they kind of warned everyone that "we're not done yet" and that it would be within a month or two. It's right before our fiscal year end so everyone knew it was very, very soon.

I'm still here (knock on wood - that's about 6 times I've made it through in the last 18 months). Two people in my dept aren't here any longer though.

Supposedly - we're "done" with downsizing for now. Unless the market crashes again. Let's hope it all picks up steam. It's starting to look like it.

Thanks Mike, on 3rd week. Things are going fine there. Hoping it's at least 6 months contract to possible conversion, depends how much I can show QA is needed to them with putting processes in place for testing, and finding bugs before it gets out the door.

Well my contract came to an end last friday but they'd love to bring me back if/when they have funding for it. I am searching again for contract/full-time and have had some interest already but am waiting to see if I get a) phone screener or b) walk-in. I will take contract but prefer perm due to benefits. Things aren't dire just yet but could be in the next couple of months as I have ~6wks of lvl 4/tier 4 fed. benefits then State but that runs out I think mid/late december and no clue what will happen after that. On top of this I had to file out of state since I worked in NH (I live in MA) so have to wait ~2 wks before a determination is made if I can collect from NH or back to MA (they will back-date me as I talked with them already this week, just have to fax paperwork from NH to them and that's done).

So, pins and needles- somewhat, sweating bullets - not quite yet. I am hoping something will come of the recent interest of my submittals. That'd make me VERY HAPPY.

I work for County government in the law enforcement field and our department is $5 million in the red. Really sad when public service agencies don't even have a budget to operate with. Sadder still is how corruption at the top and greed amongst management is contributing to the problem. I see senior management continually padding their nest eggs with cushy salaries and retirement/health benefits while the people below them doing all the grunt work are being forced out onto the street. And they're doing this by creating new positions for their buddies at the top, hiring more managers (when there are already far too many), and spending astronomical amounts of money on "consultants" to help them make cost-cutting decisions instead of utilizing their own employees. Thank God Meg Whitman was not elected governor of CA, this state would have imploded on itself.

Our council recently advertised the whole of adult services for sale on a government website.

The future - who knows.

I notice the bankers/financial sectors are still making lots of money though.....especially by playing hardball with whole countries (ie Ireland at present), whose problems were caused by the banks in the first place.

In the UK those previously known as 'being unemployed' are now 'The Unemployed' and the concept of 'the deserving poor' (and the consequent 'undeserving') is being used again....cuts are such that children in the UK will actually pay more (through loss of benefits etc) than the banks towards balancing the books.

I wonder how long it will be before we find children going up the chimneys......

I hope something turns up quickly, Mike! And at the very least that the NH/MA thing gets sorted soon.

MA/NH went as I suspected/had expected, denied in NH (didn't make enough) and back onto Fed. Extension which ended last weekend and this past weekend I filed and need to get onto state extension which runs out on 12/25, how nice eh? No word if this damn lame duck congress is going to pony up some more dough to keep us afloat a bit longer so I can land a job. Got some screeners in the mix (one shortly) and working on a couple of others so I got irons in the fire. Just hoping one of these pops asap.

Still looking/submitting (on 2nd layoff from contract job back in beginning of October) and waiting STILL for round 2 at place I interviewed (and did better than I thought) before xmas. Waiting on new req to be posted (per their recruiter) so I can submit and be brought back in for 2nd round of interviews. 2 months + is sucking badly but getting bites more lately. Some from out of state (cali for instance x 3 jobs) which I tell em no relocation for this one, if you have something in my specific area, let's talk. So still hunting, not losing condo yet so basically still floating at this point. Come on people it is almost 3rd month of the new year OPEN THE DAMN PURSE STRINGS and QUIT BEING SO DAMN PICKY STILL! Argh, I HATE this crap....it hopefully will get better soon so they can't be as picky....we shall see.

Keeping stiff upper lip still but depressed somewhat still. No urge to make music, I should be doing that to occupy my mind maybe!

Well had 2 interviews yesterday w/2 companies (one walk-in, other phone (contract job)) and walk-in called today for 2nd interview. Then got call with offer. In meantime contract called and wanted 2nd interview (had 3rd interview w/diff company tom. morning) and had to push it out (before news from first company) to do 2 tomorrow. Then the call came and I accepted offer of first interview/company. So hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll be in a new office/company WORKING after ~a year out since last job. I am very much looking forward to this position and manager liked me a lot for what we talked about/my ideas and QA lead liked my background/interview as well. Sooooooooooo here I come to go back to work (sung underdog style)! As long as all goes well with background check and employment history check I'll be HAPPY as a pig in shit!